back to article X-com reboot's gameplay showcased

2K has released the first in-game footage of Xcom: Enemy Unknown, the anticipated refresh of the much-loved RTS. The clip below shows various combat gameplay and a new base, which players can customise and use to interact with characters. The game itself, developed by Firaxis, will seem quite different to those familiar with …

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  1. Sir Runcible Spoon

    Sir

    I still play the original, and this looks like a pretty good take on it. Definitely on my shopping list!

  2. David Webb

    XCom had some special moments which even after all these years I can still remember. My favourite char being out on his own looking for the last alien, pretty much the entire map between him and the only person with TU left, an alien spotted him but he couldn't shoot. An aimed shot from across the map, watching each screen flip by as the bullet moved. 10 seconds later (or near enough) the bullet hits the alien killing it, best shot ever!

    Though I'm pretty sure it's a Microprose game and not Firaxis, the sequels to XCom were okay though buggy, after spending days building up my team and getting near end game on TFTD to do one of the final missions and it getting bugged totally destroying the game, that was a bitch.

    There have been modern remakes to XCom though too, it'll be interesting to see what this reboot brings to the table.

  3. Code Monkey
    Thumb Up

    I loved the original. This actually looks rather good. Maybe time to get the thumbs out of retirement.

  4. Lee Dowling Silver badge

    If you make it join this list (of remakes that never have been allowed license to the title), I will kill you:

    Bionic Commando

    Deus Ex

    Master of Orion

    Spy Hunter

    Syndicate

    Stop remaking old games. Seriously the probability of failure is very high, and the users will hate you forever. And yet, nobody, NOBODY, ever re-makes the games that we could REALLY do justice to nowadays:

    Carmageddon

    Magic Carpet

    Syndicate (yeah, a proper faithful remake could work wonders - not the junk listed above).

    Don't even get me started on The Italian Job movie. Yeah, that's right. THE. Singular. Only one. Remake that and you should just shoot yourself.

  5. Irongut
    FAIL

    "The reboot was originally pegged for a March 2012 release but was pushed back to the 2013 fiscal year. Seeing as that kicks off from April, the waiting for Xcom: Enemy Unknown might not be that long."

    Or you could actually watch the video and see it's slated for FALL 2012!

    1. TakeTheSkyRoad
      Stop

      Hello ?

      "Seeing as that kicks off from April"

      I'm not an accountant but.... the fiscal year runs from april to april yes ? So the year begining in april 2012 ends in 2013 and is reported as the 2013 fiscal year !! Comprende ?

  6. Tony Paulazzo

    RE Carmaggedon

    Is being remade, by the original developers no less, stainless games.

    http://www.carmageddon.com/home

    Not sure how far off completion it is tho'.

    Xcom looks good, was really crap at the original tho, but this looks like it might be worth a whirl.

  7. CD001

    Hmmm

    I'm actually intrigued now that I've watched the video - wasn't bothered before as I figured they'd just wreck it (I'm a huge fan of the original, well, OK "Terror From The Deep" more than "Enemy Unknown"... there's just something satisfying about nailing a lobsterman with a vibro-blade)...

    ... but actually it looks promising. Odds are it won't be as difficult/unforgiving as the original though, which was if we're honest, an absolute bastard in the early game (got much easier once you had some good operatives, equipment and mind/molecular control).

    1. Galidron

      Re: Hmmm

      My biggest concern is RTS. To me the original was turn based, and the S in RTS is generally pretty fake.

      1. Ramazan

        RTS

        RTS part is Geoscape (base/research/production/equipment management and UFO hunting). Turn-based (RPG) part is Battlescape. For me the game always played more as RPG than RTS.

  8. Steelsky

    If they can chance their mind so can I.

    I remember seeing a reboot that was supposed to be an FPS and the videos at the official site still come out as FPS gameplay.

    Back when I saw it I decided that this was not something to waste my time on but if they have picked up the thred of the old series it just landed on my Must Own™ list.

    /Steelsky

  9. Simon Fuller
    Headmaster

    Before everyone gets too excited:

    Only a single base (i.e. removed strategic element of base building)

    Maximum 6 in a squad

    No base defense missions (obviously given 6 man limit)

    But hopefully will not be rubbish despite this

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Xenonauts

      Xenonauts - http://www.xenonauts.com/ and UFO:AI - http://ufoai.org/ are two remakes in the making as well. UFO:AI is free and open-source as well, so easy to give it a try although it's far from finished at this stage.

      Both look interesting though, and seem to retain more of the original features of the X-COM games than the "official" refresh.

    2. Adam T

      say it's not so :(

  10. Spongibrain
    Alien

    RTS ?

    I'm sure the game I remember playing was turn based

    1. David Lucke

      Re: RTS ?

      Did you even watch the video? Or more specfically, listen to it? Yes, its still turn based. They've just added a lot of cinematic camera moves.

      I don't want to jinx it, but contrary to my expectations, this might actually be ok..

  11. Forestman
    Alien

    Please, Firaxis, no bugs.

    Civ V was launched buggy as hell, and it's Steam DRM often crashed on me. I hope Firaxis doesn't repeat that. I also hope I don't need to buy a new computer to play it.

    Yah, I still play the original X-COM, and X-COM TFTD, and I agree that it has had many memorable moments - maybe more than any other game I've played.

    Hmmm, it's snowing out and I don't have to go to work today.... Where's that disk...

  12. Alex C
    Thumb Up

    2 games

    Interestingly if you go to

    http://www.xcom.com/

    you're asked to choose a site - XCom and Xcom - Enemy Unknown.

    Xcom - the FPS (mentioned on el Reg as part of their Antique Code Show), looks to attempt to shoehorn the old, loved, and much abused franchise into yet another ill-fitting suit),

    Xcom - Enemy Unknown, (which is what the video on this article) is all about and seems to be where they try to remake the game using modern graphics and is frankly making me twitch with delight. Sadly it looks like a six man squad but apparently that more for balancing than anything else. Couldn't see anything about only one base. I wonder if that's to prevent my arms factory bases, which made so much money that there was no need for pay much attention to those pesky governments. It would be sad though as bases dotted around the globe were a great tactical nuance.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    >"what can happen when 2K gets involved with reboots of popular franchises"

    What, you mean they actually bloody deliver?

  14. Scott 62

    this really rustles my jimmies.

    i'd love nothing more than xcom remade with todays technology, but missing out base building, max 6 squad members etc etc is madness

  15. Bill Neal
    WTF?

    Ok Firaxis...

    now where is our Alpha Centauri remake? (a game people STILL play)

  16. Adam T

    Instant purchase

    The designers do talk a load of waffle, you'd think they've just invented Movement Points.

    However, it does look ace.

    I've was playing the original series recently (big bundle on Steam), they're still brilliant. Bloody hard too, but there's nothing like a stray grenade taking down an entire building around you :)

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